Review: The Only Woman in the Room

Title: The Only Woman in the Room

Author: Marie Benedict

Publisher: 8th January 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Pages: 272 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

She was beautiful. She was a genius. Could the world handle both? A powerful, illuminating novel about Hedy Lamarr.

Hedy Kiesler is lucky. Her beauty leads to a starring role in a controversial film and marriage to a powerful Austrian arms dealer, allowing her to evade Nazi persecution despite her Jewish heritage. But Hedy is also intelligent. At lavish Vienna dinner parties, she overhears the Third Reich's plans. One night in 1937, desperate to escape her controlling husband and the rise of the Nazis, she disguises herself and flees her husband's castle.

She lands in Hollywood, where she becomes Hedy Lamarr, screen star. But Hedy is keeping a secret even more shocking than her Jewish heritage: she is a scientist. She has an idea that might help the country and that might ease her guilt for escaping alone -- if anyone will listen to her. A powerful novel based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication, The Only Woman in the Room is a masterpiece.

My Thoughts

“... unless we begin to view historical women through a broader, more inclusive lens—and rewrite them back into the narrative—we will continue to view the past more restrictively than it likely was, and we risk carrying those perspectives over into the present.”

(Author’s Note)

I am so thrilled that Marie Benedict continues to write these fabulous testimonials. I read and reviewed her, Carnegie’s Maid (HERE) and couldn’t wait to read her latest on film star, Hedy (Kiesler) Lamarr. I was not disappointed as once again she delivered great insight into yet another female from history. Obviously a combination of both fact and fiction, Benedict interweaves the two seamlessly providing a fascinating spotlight on this woman. A golden years of Hollywood actress she may have been, but Hedy was also an incredibly intelligent and pioneering woman and I truly appreciated learning more about her research and discoveries with regards to her communication invention.

‘All the rage storming within me evaporated, leaving a hollow, if beautiful, shell. Perhaps the shell was all this world wanted from me. And perhaps the world would never allow me my penance.’

I remember as a child watching the old black and white movies with my Mum but I never knew Hedy was also accredited (only recently) with contributions to a radio guidance system (something that helped today's development of wifi and bluetooth technology). Benedict presents Hedy’s life from a young age in Austria to her stardom in Hollywood. Whilst I appreciated the glamour of her rise to fame, it was more the personal story that really had me engaged and following up with Google searches to learn more still. Her self doubts and resilience to persevere were inspiring.

‘I had always been alone under my mask, the only woman in the room.’

The pacing is spot on from beginning to end being told through the eyes of Hedy herself. I am glad that Benedict devoted suitable research and time in the story to the legacy that Hedy is now attributed with. Just the right about of detail with regards to patents and the incredible process - both in creation and recognition - that Hedy and George Antheil went through.

‘Time buckled and then folded back onto itself, back to the night that changed everything. That night sent me on the path I stood upon today, one fraught with overwhelming guilt, the pursuit of redemption, and, occasionally, unexpected joy.’

Thank you Marie Benedict for continuing to bring to light amazing stories of women who may have been relegated to the shadows for their achievements. You truly bought the character that was Hedy Lamarr both on and off the screen - from her escape from Nazism to her relentless pursuit to try and make a difference to the outcome of WWII - to life.  I cannot wait to see who you will lift the curtain on next.

‘Would it really be possible that in creating an invention to fight against the Third Reich, I could atone for my sins? That in saving the lives of those impacted by naval warfare, I could balance out the scales of justice for those I’d left behind in Austria? And was it possible that in the process, I might become known as more than Hedy, the “pretty face”?

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.